Machine for shaping shoes



Oct. 24, 1933. D TH AS 1,931,561

MACHINE FOR SHAPING SHOES Filed Oct. 16, '1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 24, 1933.

w. D. THOMAS 1,931,561

MACHINE FOR SHAPING SHOES Filed 00 16, 1931 3 Sheeis-Sheec 2 Oct. 24, 1933. w. D. THOMAS 1,931,561

MACHINE FOR SHAPING SHOES- Filed Oct. 16, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 amawjwsam Patented Oct. 24, 1933 PATENT. orrics MACHINE SHAPING SHOES William D. Thomas, Lynnfield, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of .New Jersey Application October 16,

16 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for shaping shoes and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,897,086, granted Feb- 6 ruary 14, 1933, on my copending application, Se-

rial No. 412,236. Machines of this type may be used for shaping the toe portion of a special type of shoe known as a comfort slipper, although their utility is not limited to operations upon 1 comfort slippers. As has already been pointed out in my above-mentioned application it is a practice in the manufacture of comfort slippers to sew the upper wrong side. out through and through to the sole and then to turn the resulting shoe right side out. When a shoe thus made has been turned right side out, the toe 01" the shoe is relatively flat and shapeless and machines of the type disclosed in my above-mentioned copending application operate to impart shape and fullness to the toe portion of the shoe.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved machine of the type under consideration. V

In many types of comfort slippers the sole is made of the same material as the upper and frequently this material is exceedingly limp. and flexible. In performing shaping operations upon shoes of such material it is important that there shall be no possibility of stretching the shoe in localities in which stretching should be avoided and particularly at the toe end of the. sole. For example, the utmost care should be taken that the toe portion of the sole of a shoe is not deformed, nomatter how limp and flexible the sole. may be.

In the illustrated machine, the stretching means operates to stretch the-shoein both widthwise and heightwise directions. In accordance with a feature of the invention there is pro-.

vided a means engageable with the interior and the exterior of the shoe for confining to the shoe upper the heightwise stretching effect of the stretching means. stretching action may be arranged to operate upon the toe portion of the shoe to oppose any tendency of the stretching means to distort the shoe by imparting an upward curl to the toe portion thereof. Such limiting means may comprise a member'which is positioned either inside or outside of the shoe; but-preferably, as in the case of the illustrated machine, two members are provided,- one being inside of the shoe and one outside. These members are constructed and arrangedto clamp between them the upper of the shoe; and provision is made for moving The means for limiting the 1931. Serial No. 569,281

the members, while they are in clamping position, in a direction which is downward relatively to the shoe. The clamping members thusoppose any tendency of the stretching means to draw the flexible sole upwardly. A

The invention further consists in various 'features of construction and-combinations and arrangements of parts herein shown and claimed the advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing do scription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of the operating instrumentalities of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II+II of Fig. '3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and l Fig. 3 is the front elevational view of the parts. shown in Fig 1. r I

The supporting structure of the illustrated machine consists of an upright frame 10 carrying at its upper end a head 12 from which extend forwardly a pair of spaced lugs 14. The lugs 14 are bridged by an upstanding integral portion 16 (Fig.2) which terminates in a pair of upwardly extending spaced ears. Journaled in the portion 16 are a pair of. parallel horizontally alined pins 18 upon which are journaled respectively a pair of widthwise stretching members 20. The members 20 are yoke shaped so as to bear upon each of the ends of their respective pins 18 while straddling the central portion thereof. Each of the members 20 has at its rear end an upstanding lug 22, the lugs 22 being connected by a coil tension spring 24. Integrah with each of the members 20 is an upstanding-arm 26. Each of thearms 26 is positioned atthe forward end of. its respective member 20 and carries a face plate 28 (Fig 1) having rounded outer edgeswhichextend beyond the outer edges of their respective members 20. Each of the members 20 has also an upstanding integral arm 30, the arms30 and 26 being so-arranged in relation to the body por.- tion of themember 20 as to impart to the member 20 the shape of thelett er U. In each of the upstanding arms 30 is journaled a roller 32, the rollers 32 being alined in parallel relation to the bearing pins 18 upon which the widthwise stretching members 20 are pivoted. Positioned between the rollers 32 is a wedge-shaped cam 34 having a pair of inclined faces which engage respectively the rollers '32. The cam 34 is carried upon the-forward end of a lever 36 r (Fig. 2) which is journaled on a pin 38 carried in thespaced. earswhich constitute the upper termination of a lock nut 82.

the upstanding portion 16 of thehead 12. The rear end 40 of the lever 36 is forked to straddle a vertical operating rod 44. Bridging the fork 40 of the lever 36 and journaled therein is a horizontally alined pin 42 having a hole formed diametrically in its central portion through which hole the rod 44 may slide. A coil compression spring 46 surrounds the rod 44 and is interposed between the pin 42 and a winged nut 48 threaded upon the upper end portion of the rod 44. The pin 42 is supported against the downward thrust of the spring 46 by a sleeve 50 which in turn is supported by a nut 52 threaded on the rod 44 and secured by a lock nut 54. The rod 44 is operated by a treadle 56 (Fig. 2) which is fulcrumed at the base of the frame 10 and which is normally held up by a coil tension spring 57. 'An adjustable stop screw 59 upon the treadle 56 engages the lower portion of the frame 10 to limit the upward movement of the treadle 56 end of the rod 44. Each of the members 20 has threaded-therein a stop screw 58 secured by a lock nut 60 (Figs. 1 and 2) the inner ends of the screws 58 serving by engagement with the upstanding portion 16 to limit the approach of its respective widthwise member 20 toward the other member 20 as occasioned by the spring 24.

A toe stretcher 62 (Fig. 2) is provided in the form of a bell crank having an upstanding arm which terminates in a rounded top portion 64 and having a rearwardly extending arm 66. The top portion 64 is shaped to conform generally to the curvature of the interior of a shoe upper at the toe portion of the shoe. The toe stretcher 62 is journaled upon a pivot pin 68 (Figs. 2 and 3) which bridges the spaced lugs 14. Engageable with the rear end of the arm 66 is a screw '70 adjustably threaded in a lever '72 which is journaled upon a fulcrum pin '74. The pin 74 is mounted between a pair of upwardly extending spaced ears formed upon a bracket '76 secured to the rear portion of the head 14. The lever '72 is formed with an opening through which passes the rod 44. Surrounding the rod 44 and engageable with a boss formed upon the upper surface of the lever 72 is a washer '78 (Fig. 2). The washer '78 is held against upward movement with respect to the rod 44 by means of a nut threaded on the rod 44 and which is secured by A coil tension spring 84 connects a rearwardly extending tail on the lever 72 and a downwardly extending tail on the bracket 76 tending to urge the lever '72 upwardly against the washer '78. Guided in the head 14 for up ward movement is a plunger 86 urged'upwardly by acoil compression spring 88 the stress of which may be adjusted by a screw 90 threaded in the head 14. The upper end of the plunger 86 ment in the upstanding portion 16 of the head 12.

The lower end of the plunger 92 engages the upment of the toe stretcher in a coun erclockwise position as viewed in Fig. 2. i Journaled upon the'pin 68 and extending upwardly and between the arms 26 of the widthwise stretching members 20 is a lever 96 having secured upon its upper endportion'a flat plate 98. The upper edge of the plate 98 is shaped to conform generally to the shape of the toe portion of the sole of a shoe. The lever 96 has a pair of side flanges which extend downwardly in the form of spaced ears 100 (Fig. 2). The

upwardly extending arm of the toe stretcher 62 is disposed between these two side flanges. The spaced ears 100 thus straddle the toe stretcher 62, and they are bored to accommodate the pin 68 upon which the lever 96 is pivotally mounted. The ears 108 are bridged at their lower extremities by a pin 102 extending through an eye formed in the end of a rod 194. The rod 104 is threaded in an end of a link 106, the opposite end of which" carries a pin 108- (Fig. 2) whichextends through a slot 112 formed in-the lever '72. The link 106 consists of a pair of integrally connected parallel bars which straddle the operating rod 44. A cross piece 114 which connects the two bars of the link 106 is recessed to provide a housing for a spring 116, one end of which spring bears against the lever 72 so as to urge the link 106 in a lefthand direction, as viewed in Fig. 2.

Journaledupon the pin 38 and straddling the ears of the upstanding head portion'16 is a' yoke 118 having an integrally formed stem portion 120 extending upwardly and forwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Formed upon thefree end of the stem 120 area pair of ears 122 (Fig. 1) in which is iournaled a pin 124. Journaled upon thepin 124 between the ears 122 is a member 126 within which is housed a plunger 128, the outer end of which plunger engages the end of the stem 120 (Fig. 2). The plunger 128 is urged against the stem 120 by a coil compression spring'1 30. A lug 131' (Fig. 2) extending rearwardly from the member 126 engages the under surface of the stem 120 to limit the extent to which the member 126 may be urged by the spring 130 away from the stem 120 and to prevent'the member 126 from falling down when not in engagement with a shoe. The stress of the spring 180 is adjusted by means of a screw threaded into the member 126 and having a knurled head 134. A lock nut 136 secures the screw 132 in any desired position of adjustment. The member 126 has formed upon its outer portion a downwardly extending lug 138 having an under surface which is provided'with a facing. 149 consisting of a layer of felt covered by a layer of soft leather. Journaled upon each end of the pin .124 is a downwardly extending link 142, the lower ends of the links 142 being journaled at 144 respectively in the ends of a yoke 146 which is integral with and constitutes a forward extension of the lever 72.

In the operation of the machine'a shoe S; shown in broken lines in Figs. 2 and 3, is placed in upright position upon the arms 26 and also upon the arms 96 and 62 so that all four arms extend upwardly within the forepart'of the shoe with the plates 28 and withthe plate 98 facing toward the sole of the shoe. The treadle 56 is then depressed, thereby causing the spring'46'to urge the rear end of the lever 36 downwardly and to raise the cam 34, spreading the rollers 32. The widthwise spreaders 20 are thus rotated about theirrespective pivots 18 against the tension of the spring 24,their movement being one of expansion or of relative separation with respect to each other in a direction widthwise of the shoe S. -The outer edges of the plates '28 are thus caused to exert pressure against the interior of the shoe upper, maintaining thesole taut and fiat, stretching the upper and thereby serving to impart some degree oi fullness to the upper. While'thisis taking place the lever-3'72 is also beingmoved downwardly bythe washer '78, causing the links 142 to be drawn downwardly and thus bringing the leather and felt facing 140 into abutting engagement with the upper of the toe end of the shoe S; The downward movement of the treadle 56 also causes the screw to bear-against the arm66 of the toe former 62, but the screw 70 is so adjusted as to delay the operation of the toe former 62 until a com siderable portion of the expansion of the Widthwise stretching members has already taken place, so that the sole of the 'shoewill already be held taut and flat, as above pointed out, before the operation of the toe former 62 begins. As the screw '70 is moved downwardly, it rotates the toe former 62 about the pin 68, causingthe rounded portion 64f to bear against the interior of the toe portion of the shoe upper andthus to impart shape and fullness to this "portion of" the shoe.

The downward movement of the lever'72'also servesto operate the lever'96. served that'thenormal "or initial position of the lever 96 is determined by the upwardly extending arm-of the toe former 62 against which the lever 96 is urged by the spring 116. An ad- Justment of the initial or normal position of the pin108 maybe effected by removing the pin 102 from the eye of the rod 104 and by screwing the rod 104 in or out, as may be required,

toshorten or to extend the effective length of the link 106. to' provide just enough lost motion between the pin 108 and the forwarder left-handend of the slot 112 (as viewed in Fig-. 2) to'cause the operation of the lever'96 to begin simultaneously with that of the toe former 62. In other words, the left-hand end of the slot 112 should engage the j pin 108 at about the timethat the screw '10 engages the tail of the arm 66. Thelever 96 is-thus moved forwardly while thetoe former 62 is being moved rearwardly, and the effect of; the plate- 92 is to counteract any possible tendencyof'the toe former 62 to impart a permanent upward curl to the toe end of the shoe.- As long as the.

of the downward movement of the treadlei 56 brings thefacing 140' of the under'su rface of K the lug 138 into engagement with the upper of the toe end of the shoe. Such engagement takes place at about the time that the operations of the lever 96 and of the toe former 62, respectively, begin. It will be noted that the members I 118 and 126 constitute, in effect, a toggle having one end pivoted at 38 and'having the lug 138 at its opposite free end. Continued downward movement of the treadle 56 and, therefore, of the rods 142 causes a continued downward and forward rotationof the member 118 about the pin 38. The lug 138, however, is prevented by the shoe from moving downwardly. The spring 130 yields, enabling the lug 138 to -move forwardly in unison with the plate 98. Such forward movement of the lug 138 tends in itself to oppose any tendency of the toe former 62 to impart an upward curl to the toe end of the shoe; and,

in addition, the lug 138 cooperates very efiectively' with the plate 98 by clamping the upper of the shoe against the plate 98 and thereby preventing It will be ob--" Such adjustment is made, usually,

1 As has already been stated, the earlier portion as new and desire tofsecure by Letters-Patent or the United States is: I

1. In a machine for shaping shoes, means ior stretching a shoe in both widthwise andheight} wise directions, and means engageable with both the interior and the exterior of the shoe for con 7 fining to the shoe'upper the heightwi'se stretching effect of said stretching means.

2. In a machine for shaping shoes, means en-' gageable with the interior of the forepart. of'a shoe upper to stretch the upper, and means en gageable with the toe end of the shoe and movable downwardly with respect to the shoe to prevent distortion of the toe 'end of thesole of the shoe by said stretching means.

'3; In a machine for shaping shoes, a plurality oi members constructed and arranged for relative separation within the forepart of ashes and engageablewith the shoe upper to stretch the shoe upper in'both heightwise and widthwise dimotions, and means acting upon the toe end of the shoe and movable downwardly with respect to the shoe to prevent the toe end of the sole of 1 the shoe from being drawn upwardly bysaid stretching members.

- 4. In a machine adapted to be received within a shoe for stretching theshoc in a heightwise directionl and means cooperating with the first-mentioned means and adapted to engage" the outside ofthe shoeto confine the stretching'action of said means to for shaping shoes, means a desired locality to prevent deformation of the shoe bottom by the first-mentioned means. i I

5. In a machine for shaping shoes, means adapted tobe received within a shoe'ior stretching theshoe in a heightwise direction, and means cooperating with the first-mentioned means and adapted to be moved downwardly relatively to the shoe against the, interior of the sole of the shoeto confine the stretching action of the firstmentioned means to a desired locality to prevent deformation of the shoe bottom by'the first-mentioriedmeans.

In ma e tive separation with respect to each other within a shoe to stretch the shoe, and a pair of members positioned respectively inside of and outside of the shoe and constructed and arranged to clamp between them the shoe upper to confine the stretching action of the first-mentioned members to the shoe upper.

'7. In a machine for shaping shoes, means con- 7 v for shaping shoes, a plurality. 1 of, members'constructed and arranged for rela-' structed and arranged to expand ,within ashoe to stretch the shoeupper in a direction having a heightwise component,-a member constructed and arranged to bear against the'insideof the sole of the shoe, and means for moving said sole-engag ing member'in ,a. direction whicheis downward,

relativelyto the shoe,'to assist said'stretching means and to-prevent said stretchingvrneans from distorting thesole-of the shoe." 5

9. A machine for,shapingishoes comprising a pair, of relatively, thin blade-likemembers adapted to enter into edgewise engagement with the interior of a shoe upper adjacent to thesole of theE-shoe, means for expanding said members within the shoe in-a direction ,widthwise o f the shoe to cause themto exert localized pressure against the interiorof the shoe upper, means operable to stretch the; shoe uppehin a heightwise direction while said thin bladeelike members are expanded bysaid expanding means, and means acting upon the shoe at the toe end thereof tov prevent the toe end of the of theshoe from being drawn upwardly by said heightwise stretching meanst H, I 10. In a machine for, shaping shoes, a plurality of members constructed and arranged for relative separation with respect to each other within a shoe'tostretch the shoe, the direction of said relative separation, having a component which is heightwise of the shoe,,a member constructed and arranged to engage the interior of the shoe bottom, and means engageable with the outside of the shoe constructedand arranged to clampthe shoe upper against, the member which, bears,

againstthe inside of, the shoe bottom to; prevent the shoe bottomfrom being drawn in a height- Wise direction around the-member which bears against the insideofffthe shoe bottom. i 1 1. a. In, a machine forhshaping shoes, a member constructed and arranged to bear against the inside of ;a shoe bottom, avmember constructed and arranged to bear againstthe vinside of a shoe upper, meansiOr erfecting relativeseparation between'said members in direction heightwise; of the shoe, andmeans eng'ageablewith the outside of the ,shoe and movable in ai'direction to oppose the tendencyof the second-mentioned member to draw the edge of thejshoe bottom around 'the ,first mentioned member. .v

, 12; In a machine .for shaping shoes, a member adapted to bear againsttheinsideof. a shoe bottom, a member adaptedto bearfagainst. theinside of a shoe upper, amember adaptedto bear against the outside of 'the shoe at the toelend of the shoe, and a common means for actuating all of said members constructed and arranged to of theshoe and movablein a directionwhich is downward with respect to the shoe to prevent the V toe portion of the-sole of theshoe from ,being turnediipwardlyby said levers, a commonimeans for operating :saidlevers and, said membenand a spring interposed between said operating means and said member, to enable: saidmember toyield as'it engages theshoe.

14.:Ina gmachineufor shaping shoes means constructed and arranged ito expandwithin a shoe to stretch the ,shoe' both; widthwisefiand heightwise, said expanding means having an edge which engages the interior of the 'shoe upper,

and means constructedand arrangedyfor abut;

ting engagementwith the outsideof the shoe rat the toe end thereof to oppose the tendency of the, toe end of the shoebottom torbedrawn up: wardly about said edge of said expanding means as the shoe is stretched by said expanding means,

15. In a machine for shaping shoes, means constructed and arranged toexert localizedprese sure upon theinterior of the forepart of-a shoe upper adjacent-to the shoe bottom'to maintain the sole of the shoe taut, meansforexerting pressureupon the interior of theshoe upper at the toe portion of the shoe in a direction heightwise of the shoe. to impart fullness to-theupper,

and means for preventing thetoe portion oii the SOIQOI'. the shoefrom beingdrawn upwardly by said heightwise pressure-exerting member i Y a 11 n, a i r. S a n s oes was constructed and arranged to -expand'; within a shoe to stretch the shoe u per in a; direction;

having a heightwise component,;apair of mem hers positioned respectively; inside 1 and outside of the shoe and constructed and. arranged to clamp between-them the shoe upper,,and; meansQ-for moving said clamping members in; clamped po si-.- tion in a direction which is downward relatively to the shoe,-to assist said stretching means and to prevent distortion-of the sole of the'shoe by confining the action of said stretching rneans to the shoe upper.

- ,IWILLVIAMVDQT'IEIOMAS." 

